The Darkness
by KittyandKat
Summary: Set a year after the Games. Jenny is home alone during a thunderstorm, trying to not concentrate on the weather outside. After she went to retrieve a flashlight, she noticed things started disappearing. When the lights went out, chaos threatened to ensue. Does our favorite Shadow Man have anything to do with it? And what role does another Shadow Man have with Dee? JxJ Dee/OC OC/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Hey!  
**

**Well, this is my second Forbidden Games fiction (Jenny/Julian, of course). This is set technically a year after the games, when Jenny is eighteen. It does not say that yet and there are some little bits in there that will probably make it confusing, but it is supposed to be when she is eighteen. **

**I hope that you enjoy this, and please leave a review and tell me what you think of this! I am not exactly sure where I am going or what I am doing with the plotline of this story, but it will definitely be a Jenny/Julian because that is the best pairing in the world. In my opinion. I am a big big Julian/Jenny fan, if you can tell. **

**Enjoy!**

_Jenny's POV_

The rain poured against the living room window, occasionally lit up by a strike of lightning. Sighing deeply, I pulled the blanket tighter around myself and tried to concentrate on the book I was reading. It was quiet in the house, with Joey and my parents having gone out before the storm had started. Now I was all alone, trying to read with the storm raging on outside my house.

My eyes flickered to the phone sitting on the arm rest of the recliner I was sitting in, more involuntarily then anything. Audrey was over at Summer's house, Dee was busy training, Zach was busy with his photography, and Micheal had been sick. So, basically, I was all alone.

Why I didn't mention Tom, you ask? Well, a few weeks after the Games, we decided to just break it off. It did not work out for either of us. We both changed too much. I was no longer the little golden girl that bent to his every whim, while he...

Well, after what happened with Julian, you could understand why he was a bit angry with me. He never became violent, no, but he did not treat me very well either.

_I hope the power does not go out, _I thought dimly to myself as I jumped. The light from the lamp, the only light that I had on in the room, had flickered. _Maybe I should go get a flashlight or something. _

Stretching out my legs, the blanket fell off of me, pooling on the floor around my feet in swirls of red fleece. I hopped up off of the recliner, kicking the blanket out of my way as I walked out of the living room. My white capris were slightly wrinkled, but smoothing them out with my fingers fixed that problem right up.

The light in the kitchen was dim, but not from the lightning outside. We had needed to change that light-bulb for a rather long time now. Any day it would probably go out.

I opened up the cabinet we kept under the microwave, pushing aside the duct tape and screw drivers to search for the few flashlights we did have. I certainly hoped that they had batteries.

My fingers found purchase against the smooth black metal of one, and I pulled it out of the cupboard with a flourish. I flipped it on, checking to see if the batteries worked, and thank goodness they did. I hated our basement, and, note the coincidence, that is where we kept the batteries.

I made my way back into the living room, plopping down on the recliner with a loud _thud. _I set down the flashlight on the nightstand that held the lamp, making sure it was close enough for me to reach it without any problems. I looked around the cushioned chair in search of my blanket that I had used earlier, but I did not see it. Well, that's strange... I just had it here...

I stood up again and peeked under the recliner. Silly, I know, since big blankest such as the one I was using could not just disappear underneath the recliner, but I couldn't help but check. _Nope. Not here. _

I straightened up and ignored the paranoia that had started to make it's presence known, instead looking around the living room to see if I had placed it anywhere. I was entertaining myself, more then anything. I knew that if I couldn't find it that it was long gone. _But who took it? _

Don't you dare, Thornton! Julian is dead! The other Shadow Men cannot bother you because of his sacrifice! _Well, what if his name was carved back onto the runestave... _

I wouldn't think that that would be possible. The other Shadow Men would not possibly want to carve Julian's name back onto there! Just... why would they? They were the ones that unmade him, after all.

I shook my head, brushing the stray strands of gold that escaped the bun that I had put my hair in. Now wasn't the time for such thoughts, I chided myself. With the storm raging outside and me being home alone, I really should not be having these thoughts. I would just simply scare myself and I do not need to do that.

Giving up on the search for the blanket, I sat back down on the recliner and smacked my forehead in frustration. My book was gone too.

_Okay, what the Hell? _I questioned myself as I stood up. I stuck my hands between the cushions to make sure that it did not fall in between them, then I checked underneath the recliner _again_. Still nothing.

"What's going on?" I muttered to myself, placing my hands on my hips.

Just then, the lights flickered once, twice, three times. A thrash of lightning and a scream of thunder shook the house from the foundation. The lights went out completely.

_Aw, crap. _

I stepped forward in the darkness, feeling around for the recliner so I could find my way to my flashlight. I moved slowly, to make sure I would not run into any furniture.

I stepped into something hard, but warm. I screamed in surprise and tried jumping back, but firm hands locked themselves around my upper arms, gently but inescapably. I searched the darkness for the source of the grip as I struggled to break free.

"Hello, Jenny," a musical voice greeted.

**I hope you enjoyed this!**

**Okay, so while writing this, I had a major brainstorm for the plotline, so you can just ignore what I was saying earlier about the whole I am not sure what I want to write about thing. **

**Don't be a silent reader and REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey!  
**

**Six reviews?! Are my eyes deceiving me?! **

**That makes me really happy seeing people review like that! But I have to reply to a certain person and I have to do it on here because they weren't logged on.  
**

**I am perfectly fine with you stating your opinion, but please be more polite with it next time. That is all I am asking. **

**Okay, please enjoy!  
**

_Jenny's POV_

That musical voice... That water-over-rocks elemental voice... So familiar... But it couldn't... He's gone! He died in my very arms! How is this possible?!

"J... Julian?" I stammered out, searching the darkness for his features, his face, anything. I could almost see him smile at the sound of my voice.

I felt one of the strong hands on my arms release me, and a cool finger ran down the side of my cheek, just like a cool tear.

"Jenny..." he breathed out again, sounding more relieved then anything. The finger traced my lips, causing an involuntary shiver to run down my spine. God, his touch still leaves my legs feeling as if they were carved out of wax instead of skin and bone. Just like before.

"Is it... how are you here?" I finally got my voice back enough to ask, stepping back from him slightly. I was wary, but could you blame me? After all that he had put us through, I should honestly run in the opposite direction. Even though he died to save us, he still put us through a ton of crap just to try and get me to be his.

"An ally, of sorts, re-carved my name." he answered, pulling me back closer to him. "I had to come see you as soon as I could."

"Well it would be nice to see you," I started, "But the lights went out."

He got the pointed tone in my voice and laughed, musical laughter that I was tempted to join in. But I didn't, instead staring at what I thought was his face.

"Force of habit." he replied, chuckling still. Slowly, the lights flickered back to life, revealing the Shadow Man before me.

Like a dose of cold water in the morning, he was a shock. Though I thought that I remembered every detail about him, my memories did him no justice. From the frost-white tendrils of hair, cropped close at the sides and long in the front and back, to his eyes... his eyes, blue as the dawn of a summer morning, that mystical, beautiful blue. I haven't seen those eyes, or that color, for that matter, in so long... I missed it, I would admit that.

He smiled at my awe-struck expression, cocking his head to the side slightly. His snow-white hair fell into his eyes, but he brushed it away with a flourish as I remember him doing so many times before.

I wasn't scared of him, I guess. I mean, there's no games, no people to save... there's just us. Jenny and Julian.

"How's... everyone?" he asked slowly, cautiously. But I knew, just by studying his eyes for a moment, that he just wanted to hear me talk.

I thought for a moment, my eyes never leaving his face.

"Everyone's doing good." I said. "Really thanks to you."

And it was true. Audrey and Micheal wouldn't have stayed together if the Games hadn't made them realize that appearance doesn't matter. Sure, Zach is still a bit of a loner, but at least he accepts a few people into his life now. Like Summer and I. Dee would still not try in school, while now she is working to go to college. And I realized how Tom was holding me back from being me. All thanks to Julian.

Even though I am going to give him an earful about putting us through those Games.

"But the Games? Really?" I said, stepping out of his grasp with surprising ease. I placed my hands on my hips and gave him a fiery-hot look.

"Jenny!" he said, probably frustrated that I decided to bring it up. Too bad, so sad, Shadow Man. You deserve to hear this.

"What? It's true!" I said. "You shouldn't have put us through those Games! God, I thought Summer died, I thought that I would be forced away from my family forever if I lost, you made me doubt my relationship with Tom," he stiffened at the name. "What? You are probably one of the main reasons we broke up!"

Well. That seemed to increase his mood.

"You broke up?" he asked, and though it was cleverly concealed by a cool exterior, I could guess that he was probably leaping for joy inside.

"Yes, a while after the Games." I said slowly. "But I am still really mad at you!"

Another question popped up into my mind, causing me to grow suspicious.

"Julian... why are you here? Besides to see me?" I asked him warily, taking a self-conscious step back. The look on his face, that starving-tiger look that he gave me back when we first met in the More Games store, all up until the very last Game, gave me my answer.

I took another step back, my eyes wide.

"I simply came to claim what was mine in the first place." he stated. "Nothing more. We can even leave your friends out of it," he paused for a moment. "Besides Deirdre."

"What does Dee have to do with it?!" I hollered, my back almost to the doorway to the hallway. If I could only keep him distracted a little longer... I could get out of here and go get help.

I laughed at that thought. Who would be able to go against a Shadow Man? I would at least be able to get away from him for a little bit.

"See, the _ally_ that had carved me back on the runestave had taken quite an interest into Deirdre. So, we made a deal. As long as I went and got Deirdre for him, he would destroy the Shadow Men that had destroyed me in the first place." Julian's face held one twisted moment of pure fury. I didn't need a mind reader to know that he was thinking of that moment, when he was being carved out.

I took another step back. Almost there...

"And he said that he wouldn't cause you any harm just as long as I stayed out of his way. He wanted to rule the Shadow World, that was all." Julian shrugged his shoulders, as if it weren't a big deal. "If I don't try to go against him, he would offer his protection."

"Who are you even talking about?!" I asked, my curiosity overpowering the need to escape from Julian.

"Another Shadow Man, of course." he chuckled. "Another loner Shadow Man, kind of like I was. He's just as old as some of the other Shadow Men, but not quite the oldest. He is one of the most powerful," Julian's eyes darkened at this, and I had a feeling that he did not enjoy the fact that someone held more power then him. "But we are about even. His body hasn't started to reflect what lays on the inside yet."

"He is the only other Shadow Man that can actually feel something other then hate. It felt nice, knowing that I wasn't alone."

My eyes flickered back up to his, and something almost flashed through me. Julian started advancing on me.

My eyes widened as he continued towards me. My hands flew to the walls as I slowly backed away, matching his pace. The look in his eyes made my insides feel uneasy.

I immediately turned around and started sprinting towards the front door.

When I managed to get it open, a flash of lightning struck through the sky. The door slammed shut, simultaneous with the thunder outside. The lights went off again.

"Jenny!" I heard Julian's growl.

Trying to keep calm, I tried to feel my way to the kitchen, where the backdoor was. A futile effort, because Julian caught my arm and spun me around before I took three steps away from the door.

"I told you, _Jennifer, _that I came to claim what was mine." he said, his grip on my arms tightening, not painfully but inescapably.

"You can't just _take _me!" I said back to him, trying to jerk out of his hands.

"I can't?" he asked calmly. "Playing the Games, I could have. I just wanted to see you come to me willingly." He paused. "I tried telling you that at the prom. You just wouldn't listen. So you insisted on another Game."

My forehead was breaking out in a sheen of sweat and my heart was about ready to pound out of my chest. Tears started to streak out of my eyes, out of the pure fear of being taken away.

"Please." I said quietly. "Don't do this."

"Jenny, Jenny." he murmured. "I would offer another game, but honestly, my patience to have you in my arms has run out. You are coming with me, no matter what."

I flinched at the almost harsh tone he was using. He was really serious this time, wasn't he?

"I offered you a chance to give in and come willingly during the Games." he said slowly, leisurely, in that silky smooth voice of his. "But now it seems that it has to come down to force."

A choked sob broke out of my throat as I tried thrashing out of his grip. Stupid, stupid, stupid Jenny! Why did I ever think that it would be nice to even see him again?! I should have guessed that he would pull something like this! Why didn't I run from the beginning?!

"Now, Jenny." his tone softened slightly. "Sh. Don't cry. You don't need to cry."

"Julian, let me go!" I shouted, more tears streaming down my face as I violently tried to wretch myself from his arms.

"Jenny!" he said in frustration. I felt the grip on my arms tighten. "Can't you understand I'm doing this so we could be together?"

Though I couldn't see him, I could feel his face coming closer to mine.

"Jenny, that's all I ever wanted." he murmured. "I wanted us to be together. Understand that, please." his voice dropped to a whisper. "Please."

My eyes closed just as his lips fell upon mine.

**I hope that you enjoyed this! Please leave a REVIEW and tell me what you think, what should be changed... etc. Don't be silent readers!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow! Another six reviews! Thank you all so much! **

**Well, here is another chapter of The Darkness! Perhaps even more action-packed then the one before... ha. **

**Anyways, please enjoy, and another thank you to all who reviewed! **

Oh.

If I had thought that my memories served any of his kisses any justice, I was severely wrong. No, he was kissing me as if we would be parted forever and he was trying to memorize every crevice of my lips. As if we were long-lost lovers, reunited after the bonds of time had gripped us both. I wished that I didn't like it, I wished that it wouldn't feel so damn good, but it did.

So I started kissing him back. Whether voluntarily or involuntarily, I was not quite sure myself, but I started to. He released my arms and slid his own around my waist, slowing it way down. My arms went up around his neck, pulling him (if it were even possible) closer to me.

I could not tell you how long we stood there like that, with him kissing me like it was our last. Some kisses were as soft as feathers on my lips, some were fierce and wild, as if he could not get enough of me. But it soon (too soon) ended, and he was the one who pulled away. But only slightly; I could still feel his lips brushing against mine as he talked, his cool breath taking my own breath away.

"Jenny," his voice sounded soft, barely above a whisper. Full of emotion. "Can't you see how much I love you? You can't fight it. Even after a year you can't fight it any more then you did back then. I will make you happy, Jenny." his voice became fierce, determined. "I promise you that. I will keep you safe and happy."

"But, Julian, I..." I tried to speak, but he pulled away and pressed a single finger to my lips, his touch cool compared to my heated skin.

"Jenny." his voice was persistent now. "I told you that I would take you anyway."

"Julian, I have a life here. I have my family, I have my friends, and I have school. Why are you trying to ruin that?" I asked him, searching in the darkness for his face, his eyes. His beautiful, impossibly blue eyes...

"We can create a new life somewhere else." the same persistent tone was in his voice. "I hate to repeat myself, Jenny. You are coming with me, whether you like it or not."

And, with those words, I felt his arms around my waist loosen, unraveling from me. Before I could get too comfortable, I felt my feet leave the floor. I screamed in protest as he held me in his arms bridal-style.

"Julian! Let me go!" I screamed, pounding against his chests with my fists. He sighed deeply, muttering something under his breath I couldn't catch. That was before the paralysis set in. It was a cold, seeping numbness sweeping through my body, through my blood and my veins, chilling me to the very core. It started at my feet, leaving them immobile. It quickly worked it's way up my body, causing it to freeze up and lay motionless in his arms. All that was left movable was my head.

"What did you do?" I asked him as I felt him start to walk. I could not see where we were going, because I was facing his chest. My neck couldn't move, so I couldn't turn my head.

"You wouldn't stop resisting." he claimed. "I just paralyzed you. It will wear off as soon as we are in the Shadow World."

My arms laid limp, one hanging off of my body and dangling towards the ground, the other resting on my stomach. My knees were pressed together, where Julian was carrying me. I couldn't see anything in the utter blackness of the place. How did he make it so dark.

I did not have the willpower to even yell at him for paralyzing me. Instead, I tried focusing on controlling my breathing and not freaking out.

Julian spoke words in a different language, though I knew it had to be runes of some sort. I had forgotten, over time, what the runes were, and this had to be one of them... just which one...

"Close your eyes, or you'll get dizzy." he warned me, taking a step forward. Listening for once, I squeezed my eyes shut and mentally braced myself.

It felt a lot like falling. Except you knew that you were perfectly grounded. The pressure felt strange, too. She found it a good thing she closed her eyes, because she could almost feel where they were going.

The Shadow World. She knew he was taking her there at first chance, but that still did not help her brace for the weight of the situation at hand.

Julian... Julian, the one that died for her at the end of the third Game, the one that had done so much to try and break her, but who also saved her life in the cave, the Shadow Man who loved her, was taking her to the Shadow World. Away from her friends, from her life back at home. No more sun, no more warm California breeze against her skin, no more warm grass against her toes as she walks barefoot across her yard. No more Mom helping her with her hair for a school dance, no more Dad trying to lecture her about everything, no more Joey to get in her hair (though, secretly, she would miss the way he annoyed her). No more Audrey, with her always trying to dress Jenny up, no more Micheal with his jokes, no more Summer, who did not have a mean bone in her body, no more Zach and the way he always put her at ease, no more Tom (though she supposed she could survive that fact). No more Dee...

Well, maybe Dee. If the situation played out right.

She would lose everything that she had loved in her life. And there was not a thing she could do about it. Nothing.

_Well, you can't think like that, Jenny! There has to be some way out!_ I yelled at myself.

Ignoring the sinking feeling of hopelessness in my gut, I blinked suddenly when I realized I had feeling in my limbs again.

Julian set me on my feet, and helped steady me when I started to wobble. I looked around, turning as far as his hands would let me, to take in my surroundings.

We were in a parlor, of sorts, with black everywhere. My brain did not absorb this as I started to panic. I was really here, this time. In the Shadow World by force. I could feel my body dissolve into hysterics as I looked around more wildly.

I fell over, in Julian's arms, with my body wracked with sobs.

I was stuck.

**I hope that you liked this, and please leave a REVIEW! **


	4. Chapter 4

**I am sorry it has been so long since I updated and I am sorry that this will be a rather short update! I have been working on another writing website since one of my stories is really starting to take off, but I will try to squeeze more time for this story since summer vacation is coming up!**

**Thank you for all of the reviews, the follows, and the fans! They make me very happy!**

**Well, enjoy! And please review again!**

_Dee's POV_

"Come on, Sunshine! Why aren't you answering your damn phone?" I growled into my phone, slamming it shut when I got her voice-mail again.

I had been done working out for around half an hour, so I decided to give Jenny a call and ask her if she wanted to weather out the storm with me. I glared out my car windshield as rain pelted it, murderously fast. If she had only missed one or two of my calls because she wasn't around her phone, I wouldn't be so worried. But I started calling her around twenty minutes ago when I started to be concerned when she didn't return them. Jenny was at home, and her phone wasn't dead; it rang quite a few times before going to voice-mail. There had to be something wrong.

Gripping the steering wheel until my mocha skin started to lighten from the stress, I put my car into Drive and started over towards her house. Under normal circumstances, I would not drive this fast in the rain, but this is Jenny, and there could be something wrong. She was at home alone, after all. Her parents and brother went out to dinner or a movie or to shop or something like that. What if somebody broke into her house? What if she was hurt?

Her house was not far from the gym that I had been at, so the drive took all of two minutes, and only minimal skidding was required. Lightning danced across the sky, but I was not phased by it. Storms did not bother me.

I locked my car and ran up to the front door, knocking first.

"Jenny?!" I shouted. "You in there?! Open up!"

No answer. I tried the knob; it was locked. If she was home, she wouldn't leave the house unlocked. Something was up.

I tried looking through the window, but all of the lights in her house were out. It wasn't even ten o'clock on a Friday night, there is not any way that she could be asleep by now. I pulled out my phone and tried calling her again, trying to use my body to keep my phone from getting wet.

I saw it glow and buzz through the window. It was on the table next to her recliner, I think. But still, no Jenny.

"Jenny! If you don't open up, I'm breaking down the door!" I snarled, pounding on the door once more. There was still no answer.

Okay, now I am starting to officially freak out! Jenny would have heard me by now! Her car was in the driveway, her phone was in her house, all the lights were off, it was too early for her to be asleep, and...

I was scared. Scared that she could be dead, for all I know. Maybe somebody broke in through their back door, or...

No, Deirdre! There is no way he could be back! Those Shadow Men killed him, remember? Jenny... she is in there. Maybe she is hiding from someone. I don't know.

I placed my phone back into my pocket and backed away from the window and towards the door. With a mighty kick, I broke the lock and the lock busted open, causing the door to fly open and bang against the wall. I entered apprehensively, in a defensive position. My hand searched the walls until I found the light-switch. I flipped it on, causing the room to light up.

"Jenny? Come on, where are you?" I asked, stepping away just as the door started drifting close again.

If I hadn't turned my head when I did, I would have missed it.

On the door, there was a large circle, seemingly burned into the door. It looked eerily familiar...

I gasped out loud, backing away. No... NO! She... she can't be... he couldn't have... NO!

I grabbed a flashlight I found in the living room and flipped it on, tearing through the house.

"Jenny?! Jenny! Come on, Sunshine, where are you?!" I screamed as I sprinted through the halls, flipping on lights as I went. I checked in every single room, every one. I skidded to a stop outside her bedroom, throwing open the door and looking inside. It was the last room that I had yet to check.

No Jenny.

"No... Jenny..." I whispered, holding my hand to my mouth. "Jenny... please! Where are you?!"

I pulled out my phone and called the first person that I could think of. Aba. Surely she would be able to tell me what to do.

**Well, that's that, folks! I hope that you liked it, and please REVIEW! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, remember me? ****  
**

**I am so sorry for the delay in updating, but I have been editing a different story on a different website that is taking forever and now summer is here and all I seem to be doing is either lifting weights, cheering, or dribbling/throwing/catching/passing/setting/spikin g/shooting a ball. My summer provides me with no break until like July. Or next week. I don't have a lot going on then. **

**I made this longer in hopes of winning back your loyalty. Is it working? **

**I hope you enjoy!**

_Jenny's POV_

Julain's face remained stone-cold and emotionless as I cried for all that I had lost. All that he had taken from me.

When I had finally calmed down enough to breath and speak properly, Julian started giving me instructions.

"I have to go finish some business, so I'm leaving you here. There is no way out of here, so get that thought out of your head." he narrowed his eyes at me. "I've learned from your previous escape attempts. There are no doors or windows for you to escape with or to trap me in." I flinched away from the iciness in his tone. "Well, there's only one door, and that's only to a bathroom. There are clothes in there for you to wear. I suggest you clean up and put on something nice while I'm gone. You'll be meeting Samael today. He's the one who brought me back."

I stared at him blankly for a moment, but I nodded.

He quickly ducked his head and pressed a hard kiss to my lips. Before I had the chance to even comprehend kissing him back, he pulled away and disappeared. Literally, he vanished from thin air. I searched around the room, just to be sure that he was gone. There was no sign of him.

I walked quickly to the bathroom and shut the door, searching around for a lock. It was not like it would have helped anything (if Julian wanted to come in, he would) but it would have given me some peace of mind. There was no lock. Sighing, I turned around and examined the room before me.

It was a simple bathroom, with a white tile floor, a shower, a white sink, and a white toilet. There was a cabinet on the wall, and upon opening it, I found all sorts of things. Towels, hair brushes, some hair ties and bobby pins, shampoo, conditioner, body wash (the same kinds that I used at home...) deodorant, hair spray, toothpaste, and a toothbrush. There was even a hair dryer and a curling iron. Huh. How considerate of him. There was also a jewelry bag in the corner, but upon looking at it, I decided to leave that for later. A lot of it looked very sparkly and very expensive, which made me very uncomfortable.

A bag in the corner of the cabinet, almost hidden away, caught my eye, so I pulled it closer and unzipped the top. He even provided make-up. Strange. I dug around in the bag for a little bit, pulling out some products and looking at them more closely. I'll give him credit, he picked out the colors that matched everything.

I put the bag back into the cabinet and pulled out a large towel to dry off with and a small towel for body wash, along with the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash to match. After I set them in the shower, I went and opened up the other side of the cabinet to see if I could find the clothes he said I had. Upon opening it, I didn't see much. I saw no jeans or pants, just dresses. Near the back, I saw a few pairs of pajamas and... underwear? Picking up a bra, I looked at the size and blushed. How did he know my size?

I rummaged around through the dresses, before I saw one in particular that had a note attached to it. I pulled it out and took the note off, reading it.

_I suggest wearing this one. There isn't much because this is only a temporary room. _

And Julian strikes again, bossing me around like I'm some little doll. I contemplated not wearing the dress and picking a different one, but before, I decided to get a good look at it. It was a form-fitting gold dress, the same color as the one that I wore at the prom, that reached the floor. It was a one-shoulder, with little jewels in the shape of a lily covering the part where the one-shoulder starts. It was fitted down to the lower thigh, then it loosened and the material kind of sheathed out in a very pretty way, so I could walk. As stubborn as I am to admit it, I really liked this dress.

I considered my options. I could either wear the dress and make Julian happy, which in retrospect would make my life here easier, or I could completely ignore him and tick him off.

I was starting to lean towards the latter when my eyes caught movement on the note paper. Picking it up, I stared at it in confusion as the letters started to shift and move into different letters.

It now read this;

_I don't recommend ignoring me, Jenny. I'm up in the mortal realm and there would be plenty of people to punish for your actions. _

I face-palmed myself and sighed, setting the note back down on the sink. I should not have been surprised at him for making that kind of threat. He must have been reading my mind or something. Wouldn't be very shocking.

I put the dress back into the cabinet/closet so it wouldn't get wrinkled, then started to take off my clothes. I just decided to throw them back with the other clothes, since they weren't very dirty because I had changed into them not even an hour before Julian came.

The warm shower water relaxed my tensed muscles, but not my thoughts. Now that the shock has reasonably worn off, I had started to think of my life back up in the mortal realm. What would happen with my parents? Would they ever suspect what was really going on? Would my friends tell them? And what about Joey, my annoying but lovable little brother? What would happen to them?

I took a deep breath and held back the tears that threatened to flow. No! I would not cry, not anymore! I absolutely refuse to let Julian have this much power over my emotions! He may have taken away my life, but I refuse to let him take away anything else from me. He will truly learn the meaning _Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn. _

**I tried making it longer to make up for my super long absence, did it work? **

**I got the name Samael from online, so don't think it was just something I made up. I don't take credit for it. This was the definition I found for it. **

**Samael: In Jewish mythology, this is the name of an archangel, a fallen angel, the Angel of Death or Poison, the accuser, seducer, and destroyer famously known as The Grim Reaper. He is said to be both good and evil, having been one of the heavenly host. He rules over seven habitations called ****_Sheba Ha-yechaloth, _****infernal realms of the Earth. The Talmud states: "the evil Spirit, Satan, and Sama'el the Angel of Death, are the same"; and Samael is also therin equated with the biblical serpent who tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. He is called the Prince of Darkness and chief of the Dragons of Evil and is held responsible for the scorching wind of the desert called the ****_simoom. _**

**I cut down the definition a little bit, but you get it, right? I picked it out because out of all the names that I had seen for evil and such, this seemed to fit him the most or at least what I had in mind for him. Do you guys like it? **

**I hope that you kind of got a decent description of Jenny's dress, but I'm bad at describing dresses. Just... I can't do it. Sorry :(.  
**

**Well, you all deserve a pat on the back for sticking around this long, and please REVIEW and yell at me for taking so long. **

**And/or you could review and tell me your opinion. That would work too. **

**Ha, okay, see you next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Well hello there!**

**Ah yes, it is I, the mighty author of this story. Bow down before me! **

***silence***

**... Okay, that works too. **

**Anyways, thanks for all of the wonderful reviews I have received from you guys, they really mean a lot to me. **

**While writing this, I received a review, and, though I love all reviews, this one had to have been my favorite, and it was from KaterinaPetrova. I won't put it on here since it's a long review, but it really made my day when I read it. Thank you, KaterinaPetrova! I really appreciated it!**

**I hope that you enjoy this chapter! Thanks for reading!**

_Dee's POV_

"There was definitely a portal there, Deirdre." Aba said, running her fingers over the burnt circle on the door.

We were standing in Jenny's house, near the front door, inspecting the burn marks. It was just Aba and I, since she had advised me not to call anybody else.

"What can we do about this? Jenny's in the Shadow World, and we can't just leave her there." I said as I placed my hands on my hips.

"Well, Deirdre, we would have to find the appropriate runes and create another portal." Aba said, rubbing her chin. "But, before we could even think about doing that, we would need a plan. For starters, we do not know where exactly Jenny was taken, and _who _took her."

"The only one I could think of to take her is Julian," I said slowly. "But he had his name carved out of the Stave of Life. He's gone."

"Not quite, Deirdre."

Aba and I turned towards the dark voice, towards a shadow in the corner. To say my jaw dropped was an understatement.

There, standing in the corner, leaning up against the wall, was the Shadow Man himself, Julian. Dressed in all black like normally, his electric blue eyes glowing from the shadows.

"Julian?" I questioned, turning around and facing him fully. "What are you doing here?! Where's Jenny?!"

"She's safe." he said, straightening up from his position on the wall. He cocked his head to the side slightly. "And who might that be?"

He nodded towards Aba, who was now standing up straight and tall, staring him straight in the eye, fearless.

"I am Deirdre's grandmother, Aba. So, this is the Shadow Man I have heard so much about." she spoke in a quiet but confident voice. I greatly admired that about Aba. She never let anything get to her.

"Sorry, Aba, but this is strictly between Deirdre and myself. If you wish to remain uninvolved, you best be on your way." Julian said, gesturing toward the door.

"What is strictly between us? You died a year ago, I thought that that cleared the slate!" I shouted in surprise. Aba remained unmoved.

"You will have no more to do with my Deirdre." Aba said in a clear voice. "And I suggest you give back Jennifer as well."

"It is not necessarily me that has business with her. I am simply just coming to pick her up. And, Jenny is no concern of yours, either."

"But Jenny is a concern of mine!" I snapped. "What in the Hell have you done to her?"

"I simply took her back to the Shadow World. I have in no other way harmed her. She is perfectly safe where she is." Julian stated, starting to walk forward. "Now, Deirdre, I suggest you come with me quietly or there will be trouble."

"No!" I snarled, dropping down into a defensive pose. "Are you really that stupid to expect me to just come along quietly? Sorry, Julian, I just don't work like that."

"I never expected you to." Julian said slowly. "But I think it would be in all of our best interests if you did."

"And why would that be?" I said sarcastically.

"Well," he started, coming to a stop just a few feet in front of me. "I don't think you would want a visit from my colleague, because trust me when I say I'm a lot nicer then him when it comes down to it. I'm giving you a choice, and if he has to come get you then he wouldn't. He would simply kill your grandmother and take you kicking and screaming." Julian nodded toward Aba.

"I'd rather be taken kicking and screaming then just giving in to you!" I said. "Jeez, I'm starting to understand what Jenny was feeling during the Games. You don't ever shut up!"

Julian growled lowly, and I then realized I needed to learn to control my mouth.

"Listen, Deirdre, I'll try one more time. Come with me without making a fuss, and I will allow you to see Jenny right away." Julian said, and I could hear the thick restraint in his voice. "Or, if you refuse, I'll kill Aba, paralyze you, and drag you to the Shadow World. And then I would not allow you to see Jenny for the rest of eternity. Your choice."

I turned and looked at Aba, who seemed like she was in deep thought. Her eyes flickered up to me.

"Do whatever you think would be most logical, child." Aba said, her eyes finally drawn to the floor. "Just know, I've lived a nice long life. If you choose to fight, I will not blame you."

I turned around with incredulous eyes at Aba. She would be willing to die... just so I could fight? Nobody, besides Jenny, anyways, had ever done that for me before. Ever. But I knew what my decision was, right after he made the bargain. For one, I had to see Jenny, to make sure she was okay. And two, I couldn't let Aba die for me. She's my grandmother, the only one in my family who ever really supported me. I couldn't just let her give up her life for me.

"Aba..." I said, taking one of her hands in mine. "I'm so sorry that I'm doing this. Tell Mom I love her, okay?"

She nodded, stroking my palm.

"I love you, Deirdre. Good luck." she said, throwing her arms around my shoulders. I hugged her back instantly, trying to convey all of the love that I felt for her into that one single embrace.

"I love you too, Aba." I replied, giving her one last squeeze, before releasing her and turning back towards Julian.

"Okay, shadow boy, I'll go quietly. But you will not bother anybody else up here, kapeesh? And you have to let me see Jenny right away."

"All right. Fair enough." he held out a hand, and, against the door in the same place, a portal opened up. "After you."

I stared down the portal, watching the black magic crackle around it. I'm not sure I'm liking the whole portal thing very much anymore...

Nonetheless, I took one step after the other, until I finally passed through the portal and entered the Shadow World.

**I am going to be blatantly honest with you guys, and I'm going to admit that I do not like this chapter. It just... doesn't feel good. That makes absolute zero sense, but I just did not like it. **

**What do you guys think? What do you think will happen next? Perhaps there will be some OC opportunities that I shall allow you to enter in in the next chapter or so...**

**Well, sorry it was so short, sorry that it sucked, but please click that REVIEW button and tell me what you thought! And, you know, maybe submit an OC. I ****_may _****need a few in the near future... Perhaps you could submit a Samael OC? I may appreciate that, because I may be clueless on what I want him to look like, sound like, be like, etc... **

**Anyways, submit OC's, REVIEW! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you thank you thank you for all of the wonderful reviews that I have received! They really mean a lot to me, and hearing what you think and what you would like to see happen helps me figure out what to and what not to put in the story. **

**I hope that you enjoy this chapter, and please review again!**

_Jenny's POV_

__After showering, I used a hair dryer to dry my hair and put on the dress. When I put it on, I realized a detail that I somehow missed when I was first examining it. The dress was a high-low, with the front going to my mid thigh and the back trailing behind me. How did I miss that? Was I really that distracted? I chose not to raise a fuss about it and just wear it.

After digging around a little bit more, I found a pair of shoes that matched and put them on too. As for jewelry, I put in simple teardrop earrings and a matching necklace.

I put on make-up, but not a whole lot. I prefer the more natural look, really. I ended up pinning my hair back on one side with a jeweled clip, since I didn't really want to do anything to it. After finishing up all of the other bathroom priorities (brushing my teeth, putting on deodorant, etc), I opened the door and peeked outside. Julian was not back yet, I saw.

Walking out fully, I decided that while I had time, I might as well explore the place. Black floors, black walls... the only light came from candles or from the fireplace roaring in the corner. I idly wondered when that was lit, because I did not recall one being lit when I first arrived. In the end, I shrugged my shoulders and concluded that Julian probably did it.

There was not a lot to the room, just a bookshelf, the fireplace, and two big armchairs sitting near it. Rubbing my arms, I soon found myself glad that the fireplace was lit. It was freezing in this room.

I walked over to the bookshelf and examined it's contents. A lot of them had books in languages I couldn't even hope to recognize, so I assumed that I was probably supposed to stay away from those. There were some in English, and upon further examination, they were some of my favorites. Julian really went through the trouble and even got me my favorite books? That's awfully nice of him... But he will probably expect some sort of repayment for all the stuff he has given me. I didn't even want to think of what that would be. The thought sent chills through my body.

Strangely, the same book I was reading before Julian came and kidnapped me was there. Pulling it out of the bookshelf, I found out that it had a bookmark in it. I flipped it open to the page and realized that it was the exact page that I had left off on. The only way I knew that it wasn't my copy was because the bookmark was different. I had just used a torn off corner of paper, while this one was an actual bookmark.

I settled down in one of the chairs and opened up my book again, intent on reading until Julian came back and not trying to focus on the Shadow Man I was about to meet.

_Dee's POV_

Shadow boy over there failed to mention that if you aren't used to going through portals, you will get very, very dizzy. When I landed in the Shadow World, I was so dizzy I fell over a few times before I managed to even get proper footing. It was a miracle I didn't throw up from the way my head was spinning. Julian, getting impatient at me, ended up dragging me through this mysterious place. Everything was still moving a bit too much for my taste, so I wasn't able to really examine my surroundings so I knew my way out of here. What, did you think that I would just come in here and just sit like an obedient little puppy and just agree to how the rest of my life is going to play out? Nah, that's not how I work. I was planning on snatching Jenny and getting the Hell out of there as fast as I could. I knew before that could happen I would need to find out how to create that portal, since it's been so long since I have had to create one. Who knows how long it would be until I knew how? And who knows what would happen to me before then?

Come to think of it, Julian never said why he was dragging me down here in the first place. He mentioned a colleague, but nothing more then that. Does it have to do with the fact that I'm the image of... oh, who was that again? Ankhesenamun? He said that while I was trying to kick his face in.

Whatever the reason, I just knew that I had to get out of there as soon as I could, otherwise I may not get out of there at all.

Julian came to a sudden halt, right in front of a blank wall. I managed to stand on my own two feet, and the dizziness went away for the most part. I turned towards him and raised an eyebrow.

He didn't even look at me. Instead, he started muttering some words in a different language and pointed towards the wall. Before my eyes, a door started to materialize silently. Julian opened the door with a flick of the wrist and dragged me inside.

It was a small room, with only one other door in it. There was a fireplace with two big armchairs and... wait, is that golden-blonde hair I see?

"Jenny?" I asked, jerking out of Julian's grasp and walking towards the chair. "Is that you?"

"Dee?" I heard her ask, then I heard a book close. Jenny stood up and turned, looking over the chair at me. She was dressed up very nicely, with a golden dress that wasn't unlike the dress she wore to prom, and her hair was held back with a jeweled clip. The jewelry she wore sparkled in the firelight. Her green eyes almost looked gold, wide in disbelief. She slowly made her way around the chair while watching me warily.

"Jenny." I said in relief, rushing forward and hugging my greatest friend. She hugged me back, her slim arms hooking around my neck tightly.

"Dee, when... how..." she tried to get out, before she looked over my shoulder at Julian.

"Jenny, what are you doing?" I asked as she released me and stalked around me.

"_YOU KIDNAPPED HER?!_" Jenny screeched at him, her hands balled up into fists at her size as she strode towards Julian. "How could you, you stupid..."

Julian reached out and placed a hand over her mouth.

"Quiet, Jenny, you're making a fuss." he hushed her. "I told you that I had to deliver Deirdre to Samael earlier. Or have you forgotten that?"

Jenny's anger faded, as quick as a candle flickering in the wind. When he took his hand off of her mouth, she was silent.

"Who's Samael? Why are you delivering me to him?" I asked him. "And don't do the same crap you just did with Jenny, I deserve answers."

Julian didn't answer me, but another voice, someone I didn't even hear enter, did.

"I believe I may be able to answer your question, Deirdre." a dark voice chuckled.

I span quickly towards the source of the voice, to lock eyes with the darkest pair of eyes I had ever seen.

**And I left you hanging! Haha! **

**I think that you all know who that dark voice was that offered to answer Dee's questions, because I tried to make it as obvious as possible. He/she's name may or may not start with an S... and end with an amael. Maybe, maybe not. **

**Anyways, our lovely Samael will be given a proper introduction next chapter, which I hope that you all will still be here for. I'm not sure when I'll update again, hopefully pretty soon, but you never know. **

**Please REVIEW and tell me what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Well hello there!**

**Recently, I had a new idea for this story, and I think that you guys will like it. There may or may not be more OC's introduced, maybe in this chapter or maybe in the next. I'm not sure. **

**Well, thanks for the wonderful reviews, and I hope to get some more! Thanks for reading! Enjoy!**

_Overall POV_

The Shadow Man had eyes as dark as the deadliest night, with eyelashes just as dark, almost weighing down his eyes, just like Julian's. His hair was as dark as his eyes, short and shaggy unlike Julian's. Amusement gleamed in his eyes, such a sharp contrast to his pale and beautiful features. He dressed in black from head to toe, the only white in his being was his ghostly white skin.

"Who are you?" Dee demanded, dropping into a defensive position. The Shadow Man in the corner watched her with amusement in his eyes.

"There's no need to be defensive around me, love." the Shadow Man chuckled.

"Excuse me?!" Dee screeched. "Love? Don't call me that!"

During this, Julian's arm snaked around Jenny's waist and he pulled her up against his chest, his eyes drawn to the Shadow Man standing in front of them. Jenny did not object, instead staring ahead at the Shadow Man. She was too shocked to even bother to struggle. Julian took a few steps back, making sure to keep Jenny as far away from the Shadow Man as possible. They were allies, yes, but if his temper got away from him, then he wanted Jenny as far away from the altercation as possible.

"Deirdre, I do not appreciate your tone." the man's eyes (if possibly) darkened with anger. His jaw became set. "You do not even know anything yet. Why you are here, what I want you for, why I want you..."

Dee took a step backwards, still in her defensive position, her eyes never leaving the Shadow Man. She resembled a warrior goddess, ready for war. The man noticed that, too, assessing the dark-skinned girl with a carefully-masked expression. _Perfect..._

"Again, who are you?" Dee asked, her eyes narrowing at him. She wasn't sure what to make of the situation, but she knew that she had to at least figure out who this mysterious Shadow Man was. Just by his haunting aura she knew that he was part of the oldest race known to the universe, the same race as Julian. That did not help her situation, but she tried not to think about that.

"Dear Deirdre, my name is Samael." he said with a mock bow and a sinister smile. His eyes remained fixed on her, gauging her reaction.

"Wait a second, how do you know my name?" Dee asked, raising from her position and staring with a mixture of curiosity and horror.

"Tsk tsk, Julian. Did you not tell her anything?" Samael scolded, though his tone was light. "Very well. This just makes this all the more entertaining."

"Again, how do you know me?" Dee asked, her tone turning ugly.

Samael grew silent, strolling forward out of the shadows to face the woman he has been obsessing over, for quite a while actually, years, before the Games even.

"I have been watching..." he said slowly, still walking forward. Dee started to step backwards, matching his pace. Her back soon hit the wall, and she gazed at him with terror in her eyes (though she never would admit it).

"Watching? You have been watching?" Dee glanced and Jenny and Julian, who were now standing on the opposite side of the room, watching the ordeal. "Like Julian watched Jenny?"

"Very good, Deirdre." Samael said, stopping just a few feet in front of her. "You are more observant then I anticipated you to be."

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out." Dee said sarcastically, glaring at him. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Deirdre, Deirdre, what on Earth have I done to you so far?" he asked wistfully, and, before she could react, pinned her wrists against the wall. "Why do you speak to me with so much contempt?"

"You are the reason Julian kidnapped me! He threatened to kill Aba, for Christ's sake! Last time I checked, that's a big deal!" Dee yelled in his face. "And why are you all calling me Deirdre? It's Dee!"

"I will call you what I will, Deirdre, and you better get used to it." his jaw ticked. "I am losing patience with you already. I suggest you mind your tone and behave, or I will not allow you to see your precious friend ever again."

Jenny and Dee both looked at him with incredulous eyes.

"Okay, really? She is the last piece of my home that I have, and you are threatening to take that away? God, you are just as bad as Julian!" Dee shouted, getting in his face. "If I piss you off, you take it up with me, you don't involve her."

Samael cocked his head to the side as an amused smile spread across his face.

"I can already tell you will keep me on my toes." Samael chuckled. "Such a fiery spirit. I can see why Jennifer likes you so much."

"What, it isn't for my killer good looks?" Dee asked sarcastically, tugging on her wrists. "Let me go! This kind of hurts!"

Samael studied her for a few more moments, before sighing and dropping her wrists. She rubbed them and winced, before glaring at him with steely determination in her eyes. Whatever he wanted her for, whether to keep Jenny in line or for torture, he would never get her to cooperate or give in. Dee already knew that. Even if it threatened her life, she would fight.

Samael turned to leave, but not before doing something very drastic.

Before Dee could react, he span around, wrapped his arms around my waist, and smashed his lips to hers.

**This wasn't as impressive as I thought it would be...**

**But anyways, though it is shorter then I would have liked, there will be more next time. See that cliff hanger? That means there will be something pretty cool happening. **

**I decided against adding OC's this chapter, but next chapter they will probably appear. I hope that you liked this, and please REVIEW and give me your opinion. **


	9. Chapter 9

**It is me with another update!**

**Thanks for all of the reviews, and thanks to one reader in particular!  
**

**KaterinaPetrova, thank you thank you thank you so much for everything you have done! For the story outlines (I've read them, but haven't gotten around to actually using them for my stories) for your reviews, and for your support in general. EVERYBODY GO CHECK HER OUT AND READ HER STORIES. Please? **

**Again, thanks for everyone's support, for without it this story would not be possible. Well, it would be, it just wouldn't be as good or updated as fast. But that's besides the point!**

**Enjoy!**

_Jenny's POV_

When Samael stepped away from Dee, she blinked hard. Once, twice, three times. Shock had apparently overcome her body, because she hadn't reacted at all besides staring. I was waiting for something, anything, from her. I knew Dee too well; this would not go unpunished by her. I was scared that Samael would hurt her for whatever she does to him and that in turn would hurt me.

I hadn't stepped away from Julian's embrace for a few reasons. One, because it was freezing in that room and the dress he put me in wasn't warm. At least when he was holding me I was retaining some body heat. And two, I was scared of that Shadow Man, and I admitted to myself (though grudgingly) that Julian would be able to protect me from him if things were to get out of hand. As much as I hated to say it, even in my mind, Julian is my only way of protecting myself from Samael.

Dee finally seemed to regain some semblance of her sanity, because I saw her ebony cheeks start to flush a deep, dark red.

I knew that I could not have been the only one in the room to notice the way that her right hand curled up into a fist, shaking slightly. Looking back up at Samael, who had a rather amused look on his face. As if he were saying,_ Do it. I dare you._

Needless to say, Dee took the bait. She raised her fist and threw it towards Samael's face in an extremely powerful right hook.

It didn't make it to it's destination. It was instead caught and held in place by a pale but strong hand. Samael raised an eyebrow at her when Dee shot him an incredulous look.

"Dear me, Julian, you really left all the work to me, didn't you?" Samael tsked, releasing Dee's hand. She shook it and glared at him with her dark eyes, not at all amused that she had been thwarted. I mentally pleaded with her not to do anything rash, because I knew what Shadow Men could do. She knew too, which must have been why she grumbled and crossed her arms, but did not say anything. I wouldn't place any guarantees on that staying that way for long, though.

"You only required me to pick her up and deliver her to you without her sustaining any injury. Nothing more. I thought it best that you explained things to her rather then me. She doesn't trust me." Julian chuckled darkly. "Not like I blame her."

I turned my head and looked up at Julian's electric blue eyes, almost scared of what I would find there. I only found aloofness, boredom, like he was not at all interested in what was going on in front of us.

"Now, Julian, we've discussed this. No harm, whether it be in physical or mental form, will befall on Deirdre, otherwise I will take her away." he nodded towards me. "You remember Keiran? He's shown quite an interest in that one, and if you dare disobey my orders, I would be more then happy to hand her over to him. She resembles his mate so much, and since his mate has passed, well, what's better then a replacement?" Samael cocked his head to the side. "Consider that a warning, young one. You may be powerful, but remember your place."

Julian's arms tightened around me, and a strangled hiss erupted from his throat. I jumped away from it instinctively, but Julian would have none of that. His arms merely tightened around me and he pulled me back against his chest, sighing.

"My apologies, Jenny. I didn't mean to frighten you." he murmured in my hair, before turning back to Samael. "You _swore _that if I crossed the portal and delivered Deirdre to you, without any harm done to her, that I get to keep Jenny to myself and keep her out of harm's way. You aren't backing out on your end of the deal, are you Samael?"

"Of course not, Julian." Samael clucked his tongue. "An ill-tempered one, you are. Now, since you have made such a big fuss over her, why don't I meet the famous Jennifer?"

My face paled, all color and blood draining from it. Though I hated having to rely on him for help, I leaned into Julian and mentally begged him not to make me.

Julian must have sensed my discomfort, because he sighed and said, "You've terrified her. Threatening to hand her over to another Shadow Man won't make her warm up to you any time soon."

Samael sighed and shook his head.

"Jennifer, there is no need to fear me. I was simply stating what would happen if Julian were to step out of line and harm Deirdre. I'm sure he wouldn't do that, now would he?" Samael said, stepping forward.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Julian growled.

Despite this, his arms unraveled from around me and he stepped backwards. He wasn't far, which gave me a slight sense of comfort, but not much.

"Jennifer, my name is Samael. As Julian may have told you, I am the new ruler of the Shadow World." he held out a hand to me. "It's about time I get to meet the one who has captured one of our youngest Shadow Man's hearts."

"It's a pleasure..." I said with a hint of uncertainty in my voice, reaching out a hand and shaking his. Suddenly, his last sentence finally processed in my mind, causing me, as soon as Samael released my hand, to turn around and face Julian.

"I thought you were the youngest?" I asked curiously. "That's what you told me during the games."

"He was." Samael said. "But a few have been created since then. I needed more then one Shadow Man to overthrow the other Elders."

"What happened to them?" Both Dee and I asked simultaneously. If the situation wasn't so serious, we would have probably laughed at it.

"We simply destroyed them." he shrugged his shoulders. "The Runestave is under my protection. Only I can see it, therefore to ensure that nobody with any hint of rebellion can go near it. We wouldn't want those nasty old things to come back and try to tear you apart, now would we?"

Dee and I shook our heads.

"Good. Now, Julian, you may take Jennifer back to your rooms. I wish to have a word with Deirdre." Samael said, nodding in dismissal. "You may collect her things you left in here later."

Julian's arm found it's way back around my waist, and soon I found myself being led out of the room (being dragged was a more proper term). Dee and I exchanged glances, and I tried to convey just how sorry I was for her before my view of her was obscured by the door that swung shut, cutting off our silent conversation.

He was silent during the walk, which took in reality around ten minutes. I wasn't sure, since there wasn't any sort of time keeping in the Shadow World. Or was there? I couldn't be sure myself, and I didn't want to ask Julian. He would somehow, someway, find something to turn against me or make fun of me with. Guaranteed. I didn't trust him even with the simplest questions. How does he expect a relationship between us to work?

Julian stopped suddenly, opening a door and ushering me inside, closing it behind him. I couldn't have been sure, but I could've sworn that I heard a lock click. If my suspicions were true, then I would be in deep, deep trouble.

"Jenny." I suddenly found myself drawn into his embrace. He nuzzled his face in my hair, inhaling my scent. "At last. I finally have you."

**I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter! Again a big thanks to KaterinaPetrova! Go check her out! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Why hello there! **

**I'm sorry for the lengthy absence, but, as some of you may know (well, I know one person knows), I have been completely focusing on editing a story called Mine, it's on a different website that is mainly for original stories, it's called wattpad, check it out, but I've been focused on that and basically I've ignored everything else for the time being. Now that it's finished, I am going to be updating more regularly, and on more stories hopefully. **

**If you are a reader of any of my other stories, then keep your eyes peeled, because I am planning on focusing on fanfiction for a day. Nothing else. **

**Thank you guys so much for all of the reviews, please keep reviewing because that makes me happy. Okay? Okay. **

**This chapter does kind of get a little more in-depth then I am used to writing in, there really isn't any hardcore Fifty Shades of Grey, but there is more then I'm used to. It's still rated T, but it's definitely a higher rated T. I know that one of you asked for lemons, but really, I am not going to be writing them until I'm a little more mature, I guess. **

**Enjoy!**

_Jenny's POV _

"Julian, stop it!" I insisted as his face moved from my hair to my neck. He ran the tip of his nose down my neck, inhaling, causing shivers to run up my spine.

"You've always smelled so good, did you know that?" he murmured, gripping me tighter when I tried to move away.

"Let go of me!" I exclaimed, struggling even more when he started to kiss my neck. "Julian!"

"I've waited over a year, Jennifer." he spoke in a low voice, scaring me. "I've waited for you that long. And I have yet to solidify my claim on you."

"What?" I asked, my mind foggy and confused. When he didn't answer, I brought my hands up and pushed his face away from my neck. "Julian, what do you mean?"

"What I mean is that I have to claim you and mark you." he bent down and nipped at my neck, causing me to yelp and try to jump away from him. "Think about it. If you don't want the other Shadow Men to have their filthy hands all over you, then I suggest that you just stop fighting and enjoy yourself."

It took a few moments for me to actually think through what he was saying, but, eventually it did.

Prepare for freakout in three... two... one...

"NO!" I screamed, trying to writhe and kick myself out of his grasp. "NOOO!"

"Jenny!" Julian growled, frustrated. He placed a hand over my mouth, forcing me to stop screaming. Not that I didn't try, but it was extremely muffled.

"Calm. Down." he hissed in my ear, twisting me around so my back was sealed to his chest, one hand on my mouth and the other arm wrapped around my waist, trapping my arms to my sides. My breathing was ragged, but, slowly, it calmed down. I sobbed into his hand as his other stroked my waist.

"Are you going to freak out if I take my hand off of your mouth?" Julian asked me, directly in my ear. I could feel his breath fan across my face, his cool breath that took the strength out of my legs.

Nonetheless, I nodded once, and he released my mouth, using his spare hand to brush my hair from my neck.

"Have you ever heard of a mating bond, Jenny?" Julian asked as he placed his lips at my neck. My breathing was becoming shaky, but not from fear. I shook my head slowly as he ran his lips up my neck, sending delicious tingles up and down my spine.

"Mating bonds are gifted to very special people, ones who won't abuse it." Julian's fingers danced along my stomach, making my skin jolt and shiver with electricity.

"And we happened to be some of those special people." Julian's voice dropped to a whisper as he kissed directly behind my ear. "Why do you suppose that me, a Shadow Man who is supposed to hate, was so drawn to you? We were mates, I just never got around to telling you. I wanted you to love me because you wanted to, not because of our mating bond. But, now," I could feel one of his hands slowly trail down my back. My eyes, on their own accord, shut, completely enjoying the feeling of him in general. "Now, we have to mate."

"But, why?" my voice was husky, barely above a whisper. One of his hands found my hips, and his cool, slender fingers drew lazy circles into them, scrambling my already-incoherent thoughts. "Why now?"

"Otherwise, the other Shadow Men, the newer ones, would pounce on you the first chance they got." Julian's lips started anew down my neck, kissing and every so often allowing his sharp teeth to graze across the skin, sending delightful shocks of pleasure throughout my body. "They have yet to be... trained. They do not know how to control themselves. The only thing they do know, however..." I felt him draw away from me, but he left his hands on me. The hand on my back slowly went lower and lower. When I tried to turn around, he finished his sentence. "Is that when they see a mark, that person is claimed."

Julian's arms were quick, hoisting me into his grip bridal-style, causing me to shriek in surprise. I soon found myself dumped onto a bed, helpless on my back as Julian straddled my hips and held my arms to either sides of my head, his face mere inches from mine.

"Jenny, I intend on claiming you and marking you. It is your choice whether to fight it..." I felt his breath, but his face dipped down and he kissed my neck. "Or enjoy it. Choose quickly."

His face returned to mine, and he pressed his lips to mine in a slow, sensual kiss. I soon found myself lost in it, and when Julian released my arms, I found my hands tangling in his hair and pulling him closer, kissing him back. His hands reached for the back of my dress, and I couldn't find it in myself to care when he started to unzip it. We separated momentarily, but only for both of us to shed out of our clothes. We were then skin on skin, our lips connecting once more. Our bodies were tangled up in each other, and the only thing that my brain processed was the feeling of his lips on mine, the way our bodies touched, and, surprisingly, how it didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would. Maybe... maybe I could live down here and love Julian. Maybe I could forget about my life above and be happy down here. But I knew in the back of my mind that it was not possible without closure on the life I had before. I needed my goodbyes with my family and friends before I could fully accept that I would live down here forever.

Julian's lips left mine, and trailed down my neck, kissing it. I could barely register his quiet apology before his teeth sunk into my skin. Sharp pain shot through my neck as his teeth sunk deeper and deeper. But, shortly after, it was replaced with an immense pleasure.

I soon found myself falling over the edge of a cliff, my body clenching as I let myself go. I knew Julian was soon after.

Minutes later, I found myself cuddled against him, our sweaty bodies molding around each other, as if we were the last two pieces of an intricate puzzle, the last pieces that fit together perfectly. While we sat there, catching our breaths, I somehow knew something. As I rested my head against Julian's chest, I knew that I would be okay.

**Writing that made me blush so much! And that isn't even hardcore smut! Gah! *hides head***

**Well, tell me what you thought of this chapter and please REVIEW! I hope that none of this was too horrible for you younger readers out there if there are any! **


	11. Chapter 11

**I apologize for the very lengthy absence! I just got back from being on vacation plus, I will admit, I've been neglecting this story since I have had some problems with this chapter. Things weren't coming out right on the computer like I had them in my brain, and it is frustrating me immensely. So, hopefully, you will enjoy this chapter as much as you guys thought you would, judging from the amount of reviews! Thanks so much for those, and for the follows and favorites!  
**

**Enjoy! **

_Dee's POV_

Jenny and Julian left the room, Jenny seemed to be in a daze, even when we were staring at each other. I knew by the look in her eyes that she wanted me to try and not get violent, to try and not piss off this Shadow Man, but unfortunately, if he tries anything, that won't be happening. I have the right to defend myself, and Jenny could understand that.

"You do realize that this was for the best." Samael suddenly spoke up, causing my eyes to flash up in anger at him.

"For the best? Huh, that sounds strange. Last time I checked, my life was going pretty damn well when I was at home." I barked at him, causing his eyes to narrow.

"Now, Deirdre..." he started, but I swiftly cut him off.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I hate it when people call me Deirdre! That name is stupid, so for the love of all that is holy call me Dee!" I growled out at him. It irritates me when people that I know from home call me that. But a Shadow Man who brought back the Shadow Man that was obsessed with my best friend? Nuh-huh, not happening.

"I quite like your name, Deirdre, I don't understand why you don't." his smile deepened at the deepening of color in my face in anger. But, I realized that he must absolutely love it when I'm angry, so I refused to even open my mouth.

Turning away, I crossed my arms over my chest, my back to him. I could feel his gaze searing holes into my back, but I still didn't turn around.

"You said that you had to talk to me, so talk." I stated coldly. I could almost feel his eyes hardening into a glare.

"Well, for starters, I assume that you know why I had you brought here?" he said, and I could hear his steps coming closer to me. Instead of moving, I decided to stick my ground. It would be a cold day in Hell when I let him see just how scared I was.

"No, please clarify." I said sarcastically. I heard his chuckle.

"My pleasure." he said, and before I could react, placed one hand around my shoulder and one around my waist, dipping me backwards like you would see in a tango and kissing me deeply.

I tried to fight back, I really did, but he was too strong. When he finally got done and straightened me out, I made sure to make my displeasure known.

By a punch to the gut that he didn't see coming.

"God damn it, Deirdre." he hissed out in pain, causing my lips to curl up in pleasure.

"What? I like it rough."

Samael glared at me for a few moments, then his eyes were consumed with something that looked vaguely familiar. Like back in the Games, the way that Julian looked at Jenny. It was then that I realized the sexual reference that I somehow did not notice in my last sentence.

"That is not what I meant and you know it!" I shouted at him, backing away when he proceeded to advance on me._ Maybe it's time to panic..._

Before he could answer, I just so happen to run into a chair and, with my momentum, I fell backwards onto the chair. Embarrassment flared in my cheeks as Samael began to laugh at my unusual clumsiness, strolling around to the back of the chair and placing his hands on the armrests, leaning forward so he could see me.

"Why, Deirdre, it is so unlike you to trip over things like this." his eyes sparkled with humor. "You should do it more often, it makes you blush."

I clamped my hands over my cheeks, and swung my legs so they sat on the ground. I stood up swiftly and turned to face him.

"Shut up." I stated, causing him to laugh again.

"Dear Deirdre, as fun as this is, we need to get down to business." Samael's eyes darkened, one moment filled with humor, the next, serious.

"What kind of business?" I asked warily, watching him closely as he strolled around and sat down at the couch.

"Sit." he commanded. When I didn't move, he scoffed, and flicked his wrist. I soon found myself lifted up in the air and, with a squeal, was brought over to the couch and landed on it. I glared at him, disgruntled.

"Was that necessary?" I grumbled, straightening myself out.

He didn't answer that question.

"The new Shadow Men have not had much training, and since they are freshly created, their..." he seemed to have to search for a word, "_emotions _are out of sorts. They are easily provoked to kill, maim, or..." he leaned in and kissed my neck gently, causing me to blush. "Even claim. They do not know who you are, or who Jennifer is. Which is why both Julian and myself have to claim you two before they ever get the chance."

"Claim?" I questioned. "What do you mean by claim?"

"Claim, as in..." his voice dropped, becoming dark and sultry, furthermore creeping me out. I attempted to push away his face from my neck, but he did not allow it. I felt a sort of shock run through my body, leaving my limbs limp. I could no longer move. "Mark you as my own. Claim you as my mate. Think about it Deirdre, and I think you'll be able to figure out what exactly I mean."

He continued to kiss down my neck, his lips reaching my collar bone, and without being able to move, I was ultimately starting to panic. Slowly in my mind, the gears were starting to turn... It clicked.

"No!" I screamed, somehow breaking free of the spell he had me in, shoving him away and rolling onto the floor, jumping to my feet before he could move. "No way! Not happening!"

"Think of it this way, Deirdre, it's either me or a random Shadow Man that would kill you afterwards." Samael said, his eyes dark as he rose from his seat. "Which would you rather have?"

"Neither!" I said, with a hint of 'duh' in my tone.

"Perhaps I will have to make that decision for you." Samael replied, his voice almost strained and husky.

"Great! I get kidnapped from my home, and now I'm going to get raped. Just perfect. Just fan-fuc-" I was saying, but, instead, he darts forward, faster than I could possibly react, snatches my face up, and kisses me to cut me off. I tried to pry him off, really I did, but he was stronger than I was. Dear Lord, I can't believe I just admitted that.

Still, I struggled, until he must have gotten frustrated with me and shoved me away, growling slightly.

"You won't give up, will you?" he asked, exasperated. I shook my head defiantly.

Sighing, he ran his fingers through his hair, deep in thought.

"How about a little proposition then?" he offered. I raised an eyebrow.

"Depends on what it is." I said suspiciously.

"I swear on my nonexistent soul that I will not force sex on you." he stated, holding a hand over his heart. "If..."

"If I what?" I asked, my tone clearly indicating my feelings on the matter.

"If you simply give me a chance. That is all I ask."

I pressed my lips together and thought about this. If I agree to this, then he won't push sex on me, but I have to give him a chance with me. And let's face it, that isn't something that I want to be happening, period. But, if I don't, who knows what will happen?

Sighing, I knew that I had to make the more logical choice.

"I suppose I don't have much of a choice, do I?" I grumpily asked, glaring at him. He beamed at me and shook his head no. "Then it's a deal."

"Terrific!"

Still smiling, he started walking towards the door and beckoned me to follow.

"Come on. It's late, we should get some sleep." he said. "Follow me."

Slowly but surely, I followed him out of the room, unsure of what course of action I should take next. Should I trust him, or should I turn and run?

**Again, sorry about the delay! I hope that you enjoyed this, and please REVIEW!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Well hello there! You are probably wondering who this is, right?**

**I am so sorry for not updating in so long! There has been an overload of things, plus I just sometimes haven't had the urge to write for this story. I had about a fourth of it written in a notebook, but sitting down and typing it was the real problem. **

**Thank you so much to all of my lovely reviews, and to my awesome reviewers, both old and new! I love it when I get a ding on my phone and I read a review from you guys! I sometimes read them on my phone when I get them in school, but I haven't got caught reading a review yet :). **

**I hope that you enjoy! And sorry again for the long absence! **

_Jenny's POV_

I woke up with a completely and utterly blissed-out feeling. My body, upon waking, had some aches and pains "down there", but other than that, everything felt just fine.

I fully remembered last night (every. last. detail) and, glancing up at the Shadow Man who's arms I currently were being held in, I realized that there was simply no other option. No game to play, no battle to win. There was just him and I, two people connected as one now. I could feel a slight stinging at my neck where he had marked me, but it was more of an annoyance than actual pain.

As much as I hated to admit it, I was stuck down here. And, since I was stuck down here as Julian's mate, I might as well try my best to be happy. I knew that that would mean accepting him into my life as a lover, and I guess that I would be able to live with that. Love was something I always felt for him, but in the Games, fighting for my freedom was more important than that. When I asked him why he just didn't come to me and ask, I truly meant it. If he had come up to me and tried to get my love the way that he should have, I would have gladly came with him. But the Games...

They were just overstepping the line. Not just overstepping the line, more like pole-vaulting it into the next millennium.

But, at least my family and friends are safe at home... Wait a second...

"Dee!" I gasped loudly, tugging myself out of Julian's arms as I sat up abruptly. Julian stirred, his arms still slung around my waist, and I felt his arms tighten as he tried to tug me back to him. I continued to push against his hands and struggle.

"Jenny, what are you doing?" he asked, his voice thick and raspy from sleep. As attractive and sexy I found that voice, I refused to give into the flame that erupted in the pit of my stomach. I had much more important things that I had to worry about at that moment.

"Julian, let me go! I have to find Dee!" I said in exasperation, trying to pry myself from his arms, my voice frantic.

He sat up then, snow-white hair mused and messy from sleep (and our... ahem, other activities). He released my waist but grabbed my upper arms in an unbreakable grasp.

"Jenny, you need to calm down." he said very calmly, yet firmly, refusing to let me go as I continued to try and struggle out of his grasp.

"No! Dee could be in trouble! He could have done something to her! Let me go!" I shouted, still trying to get out of his arms, though I knew it to be an attempt in vain.

"Jenny, stop! Calm down and relax. Dee is not hurt, I promise." Julian assured, stroking my arms with his feather-light fingers, and I soon found myself calming down, slowly stopping my actions until I sat still on the bed, my breathing very light and even.

"What if something happened to her, Julian?" I asked worriedly, staring up into his glacier-blue eyes. "What if he hurt her? How do you know different?"

"He would never in his eternal life lay a harmful hand on her out of anger. They would have fought, yes, and Dee would have definitely provoked him. It is inevitable, with the clashing of their personalities. But, he would never get furious enough at her to actual harm her. Yell at her and threaten her, yes, but never actually harm her." Julian explained slowly in a low voice, rubbing my back soothingly as I tried not to sob.

"I'm so scared for her." I whispered, wrapping my arms around myself. I started to cry then, crystal tears sliding down my face. Julian immediately wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him, still rubbing my back and rocking me gently.

"Shh... it's all right, Jenny. Everything's going to be okay." Julian reassured, pressing his cool lips to my forehead while wiping away the tears that were dampening my cheeks.

It took a few minutes, but soon enough, I stopped crying, and we simply sat there, locked into each others embrace. I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes, enjoying the peaceful moment while it lasted.

Suddenly, a question popped up into my head, and before I could stop it, it came tumbling out of my mouth.

"What happens now?"

Julian didn't answer right away, his beautiful blue eyes deep in thought. His fingers absentmindedly went to my mark, and he lightly traced around it, making the stinging sensation go away. My eyelids dropped at the sensation.

"One day, I hope that you allow me to have the honor of being your husband," he started. "And it is probably impossible to have kids with Shadow Men, so that is an out." I couldn't help but feel a little sad about that. I had always wanted to have kids.

"But, what about my family and friends? They'll worry about me!" I leaned away from him, scooting away from his embrace until I was fully out of his touch. "Will I ever be able to see them again?"

Julian sighed deeply and rubbed his face with his hands. My stomach immediately filled with dread.

"I'm not sure, Jenny." he finally said. "If I could give you a better answer than that I would. But, I'm not sure."

I placed my head in my hands and stared down at the bed sheets, unwilling to look up into his eyes.

"But, Jenny," I felt his fingers on my chin, tilting it up until we were looking each other in the eyes. "I promise that they will have closure on this, one way or the other."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked him curiously. One way or the other... Besides actually seeing me, what other way is there?

"One of the options would be to see them again and tell our story." he answered. "That would probably be unlikely, because Samael prefers to keep the existence of the Shadow Men in the dark to most humans. Telling a whole group of them would not appeal to him."

When he didn't say anything else, I pressed him for more information.

"But what is the other option?" I asked slowly, fearing his answer.

"Faking your death." he stated. "Quite simple, and at least they would be able to hold a funeral for you and know that you are in a better place."

_Faking my death? _

"I'm not sure I could go through with that." I whispered shakily, tears gathering in my eyes again. "I don't think I could just fake my death for my family."

"You wouldn't have to be involved. I would take care of everything, should Samael say no about telling your family." Julian explained. "Since your friends know, they may be informed, but only if they promise to not utter a single word to another soul."

I took a deep, lingering breath. As much as I hated the concept, I knew that there may be no other choice for me. _At least, _I thought,_They would think that I'm dead and not still out there somewhere._

"Okay," I said shakily. "That will be better than nothing."

Julian pulled me into his arms again, and we sat there in silence for awhile.

It was then that I realized that I was still naked.

Julian saw the blush that covered my cheeks as I quickly covered my chest with the bedsheets, and he started chuckling. I hid my face from his eyes, the burning in my cheeks continuing. He pulled the sheets down just far enough to be able to peck my lips, before leaning back with an amused grin.

"There's no need to be self-conscious," he said, humor clear in his voice. "You have a glorious body, you do not have to be ashamed."

Even with his words, I covered my chest and glared at him.

"Jenny." his voice became serious, and he forced my hands away from the sheet so it dropped, revealing my chest to him. "I am your mate, you are as much mine as I am yours. Your body is something you should never hide around me."

The heat flaming my cheeks grew even hotter.

Julian shook his head at me and kissed one of my burning cheeks, leaning back.

"I believe that there are a few things that we have to get done today." he said, studying my face intently. "So after we shower, we will go meet with Samael in his office."

"Okay." I answered, glancing around. "Where's the bathroom?"

He pointed to a door that was not far from the bed.

"Just through that door." he answered.

I moved to get out of bed. "Who's first?"

A mischievous glint formed in his eyes, and I realized a second too late what that meant. Julian's arms hooked around my waist and, squealing in surprise, he hoisted me over his shoulder and carried me into the bathroom.

**I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter, there are a few things that I wanted to put in there, but I'm not sure what I should. Any suggestions? Please feel free to review and send some in or just PM me them. Thanks for reading, and please REVIEW!**


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